Covering Louisiana
Baton Rouge council approves Sunday bar hours
Posted: Oct 25, 2012 10:05 AM by AP
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council has voted to relax the parish's blue laws to allow bars to open on Sunday.
Under the measure adopted by the council Wednesday, bars will be allowed to serve alcohol between 11 a.m. and midnight on Sundays, and stores will be able to sell alcohol prior to 11 a.m.
The Advocate reports a separate proposal to give bars the option to extend their hours to 4 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays died after the sponsor, Councilman Ulysses Addison, deleted his proposal at the beginning of the meeting.
The Metro Council voted, 8-3, in support of Councilwoman Alison Gary's proposed amendment to the parish alcohol ordinance, with Donna Collins-Lewis absent from the meeting.
Earlier this month the Metro Council nearly killed a similar measure that would have allowed bars to open Sundays from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Gary said she amended her proposal after speaking with Baton Rouge Police Chief Dewayne White, who initially opposed the expansion of alcohol sales because he predicted it could lead to more violent crime.
"He said it made him feel better because between 12 and 2 (a.m) is when they get most the calls," Gary said.
The ordinance change will go into effect once Mayor-President Kip Holden signs it into law but, if 12 days passes without action, it will automatically become law.
Holden was not present for the council meeting and his chief administrative officer, William Daniel, said he could not speculate on when the measure might be signed.
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